Total serum IgE level in COPD exacerbations

Abstract

COPD exacerbations were diagnosed based on the clinical parameters only. Till now we were unable to find out a reliable blood based biomarker. Serum IgE is one of the measurements of airway inflammation which is well established in asthma, it’s role in COPD not studied adequately. This is a cross sectional study conducted in a tertiary care center. This study included 75 COPD patients who were admitted in our hospital for exacerbations. Exacerbations defined by the GOLD report 2018. Complete history & Total serum IgE levels were obtained from all patients during admission, pulmonary function test has been done at the time of discharge and results were analyzed. In our study the mean value of serum IgE is 416.75 IU/L. Patients who had elevated serum IgE (>100 IU/L) levels were 55 (73.3%). FEV/FVC ratio significantly high in elevated IgE group (0.58±0.09 in elevated IgE vs 0.49±0.10 in IgE not elevated, p<0.001). Post BD change in FEV was significantly more in elevated IgE group (13.7%+185ml in elevated IgE vs 6.4%+73ml in IgE not elevated, p=0.001). IgE elevated patients have seasonal variation history, Biomass exposure history. They had more Asthma COPD Overlap features than IgE not elevated group (p=0.001). COPD patients can have elevated serum IgE levels during exacerbations. IgE may play an important role in pathogenesis of COPD and can be used as a biomarker for COPD Exacerbations. Serum total IgE can be used as a biomarker in COPD exacerbations. This can be used as a new therapeutic target for the same.